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Justice News

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Middle District of Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Multi-Convicted Felon Sentenced To 20 Years For Firearm Offenses

Orlando, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway today sentenced Curtis Lee Dallas (32, Orlando) to 20 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing that firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered Dallas to forfeit the Taurus pistol and 9mm ammunition he possessed at the time of his arrest. A federal jury found Dallas guilty on April 30, 2013.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on the evening of February 16, 2012, officers with the Orlando Police Department pulled Dallas over for a suspected window tint violation. When one of the officers approached Dallas’ vehicle, the officer smelled marijuana and saw that Dallas, seated in the driver’s seat, had marijuana sprinkled across his lap. The officer also realized that Dallas was hiding something in his mouth. Dallas refused to get out of the car and struggled with the officer. After removing Dallas from the car, the officer located a loaded 9mm pistol tucked into a holster, clipped to his pants. During a subsequent search of Dallas and the vehicle, officers found several plastic bags filled with marijuana, a plastic bag filled with crack cocaine, almost $1,000 in cash, and a 50-count box of 9mm bullets. After Dallas was arrested, he also spit out a plastic bag filled with powder cocaine that he had hidden in his mouth.

At the time of his arrest, Dallas had multiple prior felony convictions and therefore was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Schuster.

This is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Julie Leon, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline strategy to reduce violent crime and improve the quality of life in communities where law enforcement efforts are focused.